Department for Transport

Aviation: Coronavirus

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the financial support provided to the aviation sector as a result of the COVID-19 pandemicwas allocated to (1) airports,(2) airlines, and (3) other companies in that sector.

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much, in total, they have provided in (1) grants, and (2) loans, to the aviation sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much, in total, they have provided in (1) grants, and (2) loans, to the aviation sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the financial support provided to airports during the COVID-19 pandemic was issuedthrough (1) loans, and (2) grants.

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the financial support provided to airports during the COVID-19 pandemic was issuedthrough (1) loans, and (2) grants.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We estimate that by the end of April 2021 the air transport sector (airlines, airports and related services) will have benefitted from around £7bn of government support since the start of the pandemic.This includes more than £2bn through the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) and we estimate that the air transport sector will have received around £1bn in support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) up to the end of April 2021.We have guaranteed loans to airlines through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (£25m) and we expect to pay out around £80m in grants to commercial airports and ground handlers by the end of the financial year, through the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme (AGOSS).Further cross-economy measures are also available to businesses in the aviation sector. Since the start of this year (2021) £3.4bn of loans have been partially supported through export development guarantees. This includes a £1.4bn loan facility for easyJet, and a £2bn loan facility for British Airways, which will be largely guaranteed by UK Export Finance.The Chancellor has announced the renewal of the scheme to help airports and ground operators with their fixed costs, with additional grants of up to £4m between April and September, an extension of furlough payments to September, and an online jobs market matching aviation employees with thousands of vacancies.

Department of Health and Social Care

Travel Restrictions: British Nationals Abroad

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK citizens who are resident abroad are permitted (1) to enter, and (2) to leave, the UK while the restrictions to address the COVID-19 pandemic are in place.

Lord Bethell: For those seeking to enter the United Kingdom, from countries where an international travel ban has been imposed, they will be required to quarantine for ten days in a managed quarantine facility. These new measures are for those who cannot be denied entry to the UK from travel ban countries including returning British and Irish nationals, visa holders and permanent residents. All other international arrivals must quarantine at home and take the mandatory tests. For those looking to leave the UK, it is illegal to travel abroad without a legally permitted reason to do so. The legally permitted reasons include to carry out work that cannot be done from home, for medical appointments and for educational reason. Anyone choosing to travel should consider the public health advice in the country they are visiting.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 8 January (HL11702), what is the source of those data presented at COVID-19 press conferences which show the percentage of people testing positive in the community for the new variant in English regions; and why those data are not held by Public Health England.

Lord Bethell: The source of the data presented at the COVID-19 press conferences was the Office for National Statistics’ COVID infection survey. Since 19 January 2021, Public Health England has published twice weekly data on the number of genomically confirmed cases testing positive for one of the new COVID-19 variants. This includes information for England and the devolved administrations.

Test and Trace Support Payment

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bethell on14 December (HL11081), whether a local authority which (1) has used, or (2) is expected to use, all of the funding provided for the costs of discretionary £500 payments to people who do not fulfil the main eligibility criteria but will still face hardship if they have to self-isolateshould (a) announce that the pot is empty and no more such payments can be made, (b) pay further applicants who qualify out of their own general funds, or (c) apply to the Government for further funding; and whether such local authorities can make a reduced payment to more eligible persons.

Lord Bethell: If a local authority has used all of its discretionary funding, it is a matter for the authority to decide whether to accept further applications or to use other sources of funding to make these payments. While local authorities cannot apply directly for further discretionary funding, the Government has increased provision to local authorities to make discretionary payments to £20 million per month from March 2021.The amount paid for approved applications under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme remains at £500 per case and as such local authorities cannot make a reduced payment.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the payment rate per COVID-19 vaccination administered by (1) a GP in a GP surgery, (2) a qualified pharmacist in a setting outside a GP surgery, and (3) other trained personnel in a mass vaccination location; what is the cost breakdown for each payment; and what is the reason for adoptinga differential payment structure.

Lord Bethell: Payments for both general practitioner-led services and community pharmacy contractors are set at £12.58 per dose administered, regardless of the role of the staff member that is delivering the vaccine. This is set out in the respective enhanced service specifications for both models of vaccine delivery. This rate has been set at a level of 25% more than the current £10.06 received for an influenza vaccination. This is in recognition of the need for extra training, post-vaccine observation, and other associated costs with delivering COVID-19 vaccines beyond the supply of vaccines, consumables, and requisite equipment which is supplied at no cost to contractors.Supplementary payments are also made available on an ad-hoc basis at the discretion of NHS England where contractors are required to deliver vaccines in a different way or to a specific timescale, such as in care homes, to reflect the additional costs of doing so. National Health Service trusts operating the hospital hub or vaccination centre delivery model are not paid on a per item basis. The additional costs of delivering vaccinations are reclaimable from NHS England by trusts. This approach reflects and is consistent with existing differences in the contractual relationships between NHS England and NHS trusts and foundation trusts and with primary care contractors.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to renew their extension of the storage limit for frozen eggs, sperm and embryos, announced in April 2020, so that the limit covers the duration for which the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic are in place.

Lord Bethell: There are no current plans to renew the two year extension to storage limits for frozen eggs, sperm and embryos. However, we will keep this under active review in the light of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the outcome of their consultation on gamete (egg, sperm) and embryo storage limits.

Lord Bethell: The Department has been considering the responses to the public consultation. A Government response will follow in due course.

Contact Tracing: Computer Software

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have downloaded the NHS COVID-19 application; how many contacts of people with COVID-19 tested positive after being traced through (1) the NHS COVID-19 application, and (2) other means, on each day since 1 January; and of such contacts, how many they were (1) able, and (2) not able, to communicate with.

Lord Bethell: As of 27 January 2021, the NHS COVID-19 app has been downloaded 21,629,902 times. As COVID-19 app users are anonymous, we cannot determine who has or has not been contacted by Test and Trace as well as receiving an app notification to self-isolate following contact with a positive case.The information is relating to those communicated with is not held in the format requested, as data is not collected on a daily basis.

Carers: Coronavirus

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) domiciliary carers, and (2) hospice staff who provide care at home, have been vaccinated for COVID-19 in the same cohort as homecare staff.

Lord Bethell: We do not currently publish specific figures for domiciliary carers or hospice staff who provide care at home.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish (1) daily, and (2) weekly, data on COVID-19 vaccinations for clinically extremely vulnerable people.

Lord Bethell: Daily data is not currently available in the format requested. Weekly data published in an online only format includes information on the numbers of vaccinations which were provided to those who are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether COVID-19 vaccines will be made available to (1) the private health sector, and (2) independent pharmacies.

Lord Bethell: Vaccinations are being delivered at a wide range of sites across the country, including independent pharmacies. The COVID-19 vaccination is only available through the National Health Service to eligible groups and it is a free vaccination.

Department for Education

Higher Education: Freedom of Expression

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toensure that policies on higher education and freedom of speech are based on (1) accurate research, and (2) evidence which reflects a balance of information.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: There is growing concern within the government that free speech and academic freedom on some university campuses is being affected by increasing intolerance of ideas which challenge conventional wisdom, leading to a chilling effect whereby not all students and staff may feel able to express themselves without fear of repercussions. There have been a number of studies, surveys, and reports highlighting instances where freedom of speech and academic freedom is being curtailed in the higher education sector – including from King’s College London, the University and College Union, Policy Exchange, and the Joint Committee on Human Rights.Alongside this, there have been a small number of high-profile reported incidents in which staff or students have been threatened with negative consequences, including loss of privileges or dismissal, sometimes successfully, confirming that the fear of repercussion is not always unfounded.Officials and Ministers continue to work with a wide range of groups and bodies across the higher education sector, including Universities UK and the National Union of Students, to ensure that our universities are places where free speech can thrive.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Parish Councils

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the role ofparish councils in England.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government recognises the important role that town parish councils play in their communities. In many parts of the country, parishes are the first tier of local government and important providers of local services. The Government has no plans to review the role of parish councils.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service: Imperial War Museum

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a formal agreement between the Imperial War Museum and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government or the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre Foundation relating to cooperation or sharing of content of their respective Holocaust exhibitions; and whether agreement has been reached as to how the grant-in-aid to the Imperial War Museum will be affected by Government support for the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

Lord Greenhalgh: We have the benefit of the Imperial War Museum’s (IWM) support and encouragement for the development of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre; no formal agreement is envisaged. Grants to the IWM is a matter for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and is not affected by the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 12 February (HL12940), whether, in the event that any lease of the planned UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre relates to only the portion of Victoria Tower Gardens that it occupies, Royal Parks, as managers of the remainder of Victoria Tower Gardens, will receive an increased contribution to cover any additional running costs that result from the project.

Lord Greenhalgh: Decisions on the leasehold and management of Victoria Tower Gardens will be taken in due course.

National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 12 February (HL12785), who will hold management responsibility for the planned UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre; whether that Centre will own the leasehold; if not, who will be its leaseholder; and whether any such lease will include the whole of Victoria Tower Gardens or only that part occupied by the planned UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

Lord Greenhalgh: Decisions on the leasehold and management of Victoria Tower Gardens will be taken in due course.

National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre: Construction

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 12 February(HL12938), whether construction of the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, if permitted, is projected to start before the £25 million aimed to be raised through charitable donations has been secured; and what measures are in place should they fail to raise £25 million.

Lord Greenhalgh: Funding arrangements will be in place before main construction begins.

National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 12 February(HL12786), whether the proposed UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will have unlimited free entry; and what measures are in place to ensure that costs can be met if the estimated £6 million annual running cost is exceeded.

Lord Greenhalgh: Entry to the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will be free. We are considering various operating models and will put in place a sustainable long-term plan.

Department for Work and Pensions

Children: Poverty

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of children living in poverty, broken down by (1) single-, and (2) two-, parent households.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Statistics on the number and percentage of people living in low income households over time, including children and those in work, are set out in the annual "Households Below Average Income" publication. In 2018/19 2,400,000 children were living in absolute low income, before housing costs. 700,000 were in single parent households, 1,700,000 were in couple households. These statistics are also available on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtmlGuidance in the use of Stat-Xplore is available here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html We are committed to supporting the lowest-paid families through the pandemic and is why we’ve targeted our support to those most in need by raising the living wage, spending hundreds of billions to safeguard jobs, boosting welfare support by billions and introducing the Covid Winter Grant Scheme to help children and families stay warm and well-fed during the coldest months.

Disability: Surveys

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government on which dates the draft National Strategy for Disabled People was given (1) to the relevant Cabinet Office Minister, (2) to the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, and (3) to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish (1) the procedure, and (2) the timeline, for the sign-off of the draft National Strategy for Disabled People by (a) relevant lead officials in (i) the Cabinet Office, and (ii) the Department for Work and Pensions, (b) the relevant Cabinet Office Minister, (c) the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, (d) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (e) Secretaries of State whose departments are affected by the strategy, and (f) the Prime Minister.

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish (1) the procedure, and (2) the timeline, for the sign-off of the draft National Strategy for Disabled People by (a) relevant lead officials in (i) the Cabinet Office, and (ii) the Department for Work and Pensions, (b) the relevant Cabinet Office Minister, (c) the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, (d) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (e) Secretaries of State whose departments are affected by the strategy, and (f) the Prime Minister.

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what internal meetings they held between the Cabinet Office and other government departments to draft the National Strategy for Disabled People; and on what date each meeting took place.

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what internal meetings they held between the Cabinet Office and other government departments to draft the National Strategy for Disabled People; and on what date each meeting took place.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The National Strategy will be subject to the usual processes for collective agreement by ministers which are outlined in the Cabinet Manual. It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place through Cabinet and its Committees is not normally shared publicly.We’re working hard to deliver the National Strategy for Disabled People to support our ambition to level up opportunity and inclusivity, and will publish the strategy this year. It will be informed by insights from the lived experience of disabled people, focusing on the issues that disabled people say affect them the most in all aspects and phases of life, including employment, housing, education and transport.The Cabinet Office Disability Unit, established in November 2019, is leading and coordinating this work at official level within Government, and also with external stakeholders. The unit has engaged widely across government departments to support the development of the National Strategy. No meetings have taken place with other government departments specifically to draft the National Strategy, but regular meetings have taken place to develop the Strategy. We are also working closely with the 13 Ministerial Disability Champions on the development of the National Strategy.The Disability Unit has also engaged with a diverse range of external stakeholders through our Disability Charities Consortium, Regional Stakeholder Networks and UK Disability online survey. By 4th March, the survey had generated more than 14,800 responses from disabled people, carers and the wider public. Other engagement has included businesses and business organisations, regulators, academia, professional bodies and the Devolved Administrations.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Xinjiang: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement on 12 January about the introduction of measures to help ensure that UK organisations are not complicit in, nor profiting from, human rights violations in Xinjiang, what progress they have made in (1) seeking to amend the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to introducefinancial penalties for organisations which do not publish annual modern slavery statements,and(2)ensuringthat UK organisations are not complicit in, nor profiting from, the human rights violations in Xinjiang, in particular within the cotton industry.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The implementation of the measures announced by the Foreign Secretary on 12 January in respect of Xinjiang is underway. Her Majesty's Government's Overseas Business Risk guidance was updated on the day of the announcement, providing detailed written guidance to UK businesses investing in, or with supply chains in, Xinjiang. The Government has also launched a programme of proactive engagement with UK organisations to support them in ensuring they are not contributing to human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The review of export controls as they apply to Xinjiang is in progress, and Parliament will be updated once it has been completed. The introduction of financial penalties under the Modern Slavery Act will require primary legislation, which will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.

China: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use to assess whether to impose global human rights sanctions under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; why they (1) have imposed such sanctions on the government of Myanmar,and (2) have not imposed such sanctions on the government of China;and what plans they have towrite to the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committeesetting out the background of each statutory instrument which imposes, or amends, sanctions when they are laid before Parliament,as requested in the letter from that Committee to the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on 9 September 2020.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 set out the designation criteria that Ministers must be satisfied are met prior to making a designation. In addition, Her Majesty's Government has published a policy note setting out factors relevant to whether a person may be designated under these regulations.In July 2020, the Commander in Chief and Deputy Commander in Chief of the Tatmadaw were designated under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime for their involvement in the systematic and brutal violence against the Rohingya people and other ethnic minorities in Myanmar, in which 700,000 Rohingya were forcibly displaced with tens of thousands killed, tortured and subject to sexual violence.The government remains gravely concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang. On 12 January the Foreign Secretary announced robust, targeted measures to help ensure that British organisations, whether public or private sector, are not complicit in, nor profiting from, the human rights violations in Xinjiang. We also continue to play a leading role in holding China to account for its human rights violations in the region, working closely with international partners, including at the UN. We will keep all evidence and potential listings under close review.Her Majesty's Government publishes explanatory memoranda and other detailed statutory reports to provide background to each statutory instrument laid under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018.

China: Uighurs

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made ofthemotions passedby the Canadian House of Commons on 22 February and Dutch Parliament on 25 February to declare that the treatment of the Uighurs in Xinjiang amounts to a genocide; and what plans they have to make such a determination

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have taken note of the motions passed by the Canadian House of Commons and the House of Representatives of the Netherlands relating to Xinjiang. The Government remains gravely concerned about the human rights situation in the region. We continue to play a leading role in holding China to account, working closely with international partners, including Canada and the Netherlands.It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies.

Myanmar: Sanctions

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they haveto introduce targeted sanctions against (1) Myanmar’s generals, and (2) enterprises owned by the Myanmar military.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As I informed the house on 25th of February, The UK is looking at a range of measures to target those responsible for serious human rights violations in Myanmar. Working with partners, including the US and Canada, we have sanctioned 9 military officers, including the Commander-in-Chief, for their role in the coup. Prior to the coup, the UK had already imposed targeted sanctions on 16 individuals for human rights violations in Myanmar.We remain committed to the principle of 'do no harm' with sanctions, and therefore wish to ensure that any measures balance the risk of disproportionately affecting poor people in Myanmar and imposing a cost on the military. In addition as set out in the written ministerial statement of 25 February we are reviewing our approach to Trade and Investment in Myanmar, and while that review takes place have suspended all trade promotion activity. The Foreign Secretary and the International Trade Secretary are writing to British Companies active in Myanmar to make clear our expectation that they do nothing to support the military.

Myanmar: Protest

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mobilise international action in response to reports of the use of lethal force against protesters in Myanmar on 28 February.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK was appalled at the news that protestors have died from injuries inflicted by the military. The violent crackdown on peaceful protesters is completely unacceptable and requires a strong message from the international community. As a champion of the rules based international order, we are working closely with partners to deliver a strong international response, including in our role as President of the G7. On 23 February, we secured a G7 statement which further condemned the coup and the violent response unleashed on peaceful protestors. We are convening the UN Security Council on 5 March.Working with partners, including the US and Canada, we have sanctioned 9 military officers, including the Commander-in-Chief, for their role in the coup. We are working with partners to consider further action to apply pressure on the military.

Myanmar: Diplomatic Service

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the speech on 26 February by the Ambassador of Myanmar to the UNand his subsequent dismissal from that role, what engagement they have had with the (1) Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw; and (2) the former Ambassador of Myanmar to the UN; and if no such engagement has taken place, what future engagement they propose.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We commend the courage of Myanmar's UN Ambassador in speaking out against the coup. He joins the people of Myanmar in resoundingly rejecting military rule. We stand with him - democracy must be restored. The Foreign Secretary tweeted his support to the Ambassador after his speech. The UK Ambassador to the UN met with him on 2 March. We continue to engage with the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, who represent a body of MPs elected in November. They are an important voice for many in Myanmar. We coordinated with them to read out excerpts from their statements at the Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 12 February, and at the UN General Assembly meeting on 26 February.

Myanmar: Arms Trade

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mobilise the international community in support of a global arms embargo on Myanmar.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that countries should not sell arms to the Myanmar military. The UK played a key role in securing and strengthening an EU arms embargo on Myanmar following the 2017 Rohingya crisis. Since we left the EU we have transitioned this into domestic law. The UK autonomous Myanmar sanctions regulations prohibit the provision of military related services, including the provision of technical assistance, to or for the benefit of the Tatmadaw. We are working closely with partners to apply pressure to those selling arms to the Tatmadaw.

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have implemented any of the recommendations made in the report by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry Report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, published on 7 February 2014; and if so, which.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has deep concerns about the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK including as documented in the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report, and has responded to recommendations made by that report. Since the Report's publication, we have maintained a high level of engagement at the UN on the situation and we continue to press for annual debate on the DPRK's human rights issues in the UN Security Council. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the DPRK government. We also support the annual Human Rights Council resolution on human rights in North Korea which stresses the importance of following up recommendations from the Report and provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the country.

North Korea: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry Report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, published on 7 February 2014; and what steps they (1) have taken and (2) are taking,to address human rights abuses in North Korea.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has deep concerns about the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK including as documented in the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report, and has responded to recommendations made by that report. Since the Report's publication, we have maintained a high level of engagement at the UN on the situation and we continue to press for annual debate on the DPRK's human rights issues in the UN Security Council. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the DPRK government. We also support the annual Human Rights Council resolution on human rights in North Korea which stresses the importance of following up recommendations from the Report and provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the country.

North Korea: Crimes against Humanity

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to hold to account those responsible for crimes against humanity in North Korea; what consideration they have given to referring reports of such crimes to the International Criminal Court; and whatplans they have to review the efficacy of themechanisms in place to ensure that such accountability is upheld.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is clear there must be no impunity for the most serious international crimes. The international community has a responsibility to respond to human rights violations in North Korea and the UK continues to press for annual debate in the UN Security Council on the DPRK human rights issues. North Korea is not a State Party to the International Criminal Court (ICC), so a referral of the situation in the DPRK could be made only by the UN Security Council in this instance. We welcome and support the annual Human Rights Council resolution on human rights in North Korea which stresses the importance of following up recommendations from the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report on Human Rights in the DPRK, and provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the country.

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Baroness Suttie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to disburse funding to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, according to the original schedule agreed to by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The impact of COVID-19 on the UK economy has required us to take the difficult but necessary decision to reduce the overall amount we spend on ODA. However, Global Health remains one of the UK's ODA priorities, focusing on overcoming COVID-19 and supporting healthier and more resilient populations in developing countries.The Foreign Secretary is currently leading a review of ODA spend for 21/22, the outcome of which will be announced in due course.

South Sudan: Conflict, Stability and Security Fund

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to makechanges in funding to the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund in South Sudan.

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, tomake changes in fundingto the South Sudan Council of Churches; and what assessment they have made of the effects of any such change.

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, tomake changes in fundingto the South Sudan Council of Churches; and what assessment they have made of the effects of any such change.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is steadfast in our commitment to supporting victims of conflict worldwide. We will remain a leading donor in South Sudan, providing vital assistance in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. We will also continue our political engagement in Juba, the region, through the UN Security Council, and with organisations such as the South Sudan Council of Churches, to deliver shared goals on bringing a lasting end to the conflict. In particular, we will continue to press for full implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement, which remains South Sudan's best chance for long-term peace and stability.

Tigray: Arson

Lord Triesman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that deliberately set fires destroyed over 500 structures in Gijet, Tigray; whetherthey have received any reports about the alleged use of white phosphorusin those attacks; and what steps they intend to take in response to any such reports.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are concerned by repeated reports from Tigray of attacks and damage to civilian infrastructure. We are aware of unconfirmed reports of the use of white phosphorus. We continue to urge all parties to allow unfettered humanitarian access, and independent investigations into human rights abuses to ensure that the perpetrators can be held to account. We assess that hundreds of structures near Gujet in Tigray have been destroyed by fire (22 - 23 February) and it looks likely that this was as a result of a deliberate act. An ongoing lack of access means that it remains difficult to confirm the cause.

Treasury

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toextend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for industries including aviation, which do not expect to return to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels in the short term.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: As set out at Budget 2021, the Government will extend the CJRS for a further five months from May until the end of September 2021 in order to aid businesses and employees through the next stage of the pandemic. Furloughed workers in the UK will continue to receive more generous support than those in many other countries, as the CJRS ensures employees receive 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to £2,500 per month. The scheme will be extended on current terms – with no additional employer contributions – until the end of June 2021. As the economy reopens and demand returns, the Government will ask employers to make a small additional contribution, of 10% towards the cost of paying for unworked hours, from July. As the economy reopens further, this employer contribution will increase to 20% in August and September.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate for the number of UK workers who are ineligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme; and what plans they have to update this estimate.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: HMRC published statistics on the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) on 25 February 2021[[1]]. As at 31 January 2021 1,668,000 individuals were assessed to be ineligible for the SEISS. The ineligible population are those self-employed individuals who HMRC identified as having traded in the tax year 2018 to 2019 and submitted their Self-Assessment tax return for that year on or before 23 April 2020, but were found not to be eligible after being assessed against the SEISS criteria. Trading profits must be between £0 and £50,000 and at least equal to non-trading income. HMRC’s SEISS statistics will be updated in due course. At Spring Budget the Government announced a major improvement in access to the SEISS. As the deadline for 2019-20 tax returns has now passed, HMRC will use these tax returns for the fourth and fifth grants, provided they were submitted by 2 March. This means more than 600,000 people, many of whom became self-employed in 2019-20, may now be able to claim the fourth and fifth grants, bringing the total number of people who could be eligible to 3.7m. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/self-employment-income-support-scheme-statistics-february-2021

Public Expenditure: Interest Charges

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of quantitative easing on the (1) value weighted maturityof government funding, and (2) sensitivity of government finance to interest rate changes.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Office of Budget Responsibility set out in its March 2021 Economic and Fiscal Outlook the impact of quantitative easing on the average maturity of UK government bonds and debt interest sensitivity of government finances. Quantitative easing has reduced the mean maturity of UK government debt from 15 years to 11 years. After accounting for the impact of quantitative easing, the effective average maturity of the UK’s gilt portfolio remains much higher than G7 peers. Once quantitative easing reaches its current target size, it will increase central government debt interest sensitivity to a 1 percent rise in short term rates by £9bn. The OBR’s report noted that quantitative easing is expected to provide a net interest saving for the public sector of £17.8bn in 2021-22.

Investment

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the valuations of investment funds investing in supply chain finance are true and fair; and that such funds are suitable to enable a daily dealing facility for investors.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is operationally independent from Government. The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Inflation: Coronavirus

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, plans they have to give the Monetary Policy Committee greater freedom in the interpretation of that Committee’s inflation targetfollowing the lifting of the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The remit of the MPC is set by the Chancellor and is reaffirmed yearly through a letter to the Governor of the Bank of England. It was updated at Spring Budget 2021. The remit re-confirms the inflation target for the MPC as 2 per cent as measured by the 12-month increase in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). This reflects the primacy of price stability and the forward-looking inflation target in the monetary policy framework. The Government’s commitment to price stability remains absolute. The MPC’s remit already provides flexibility around the inflation target, allowing inflation to deviate temporarily in circumstances where attempts to hit the target may cause undesirable volatility in output or exacerbate financial stability risks.